Tower Hamlets

Tower Hamlets' population increased by about 58,000 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population passed quarter of a million

In the decade to 2011, the population of Tower Hamlets increased by 29.6%, from about 196,000 to 254,000.

The addition of almost 58,000 people means this area's population was the fastest-growing in London and was the fastest-growing across England.

In 2011, Tower Hamlets was home to, on average, 92 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across London

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across London, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

Average age stable in Tower Hamlets

Latest census data also show that the median age of Tower Hamlets remained 29 years in the decade to 2011.

This area had the second-lowest average age in London and remained younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of just under 24,000 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population between 60 and 69 years decreased by just under 2,000.

About 28.0% of people in Tower Hamlets are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Tower Hamlets by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Tower Hamlets

Tower Hamlets saw England's second-largest rise in the proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability.

During this period, Tower Hamlets overtook 24 local authority areas, including Isles of Scilly and Merton, to become the English local authority area with the ninth-highest percentage of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability.

In 2011, just over 9 in 10 (92.4%) in Tower Hamlets reported not being limited in their day-to-day activities, compared with 91.4% in 2001. The percentage who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 3.7% to 3.3%.

England's largest increase in the proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability occurred in Barking and Dagenham (from 90.3% to 91.3%).

The proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across London

Percentage of usual residents that reported not being limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

Fall in social renting

Tower Hamlets saw England's largest fall in the proportion of socially rented homes.

In 2011, just under 4 in 10 (39.6%) households in Tower Hamlets lived in social housing, compared with 51.7% in 2001. The percentage of privately rented homes increased from 16.4% to 32.6%.

Redbridge saw England's next largest rise in the proportion of socially rented homes (from 10.1% to 11.4%).

The rate of social housing in Tower Hamlets decreased by 12 percentage points

Percentage of households in Tower Hamlets, London and England that rented socially, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Tower Hamlets residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care decreased from 2.4% to 1.9% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.3%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care fell faster here than in any other local authority district across England. The improvement brought health in Tower Hamlets close to the regional average 1.8% in London described their health as good in 2011).

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Tower Hamlets remained close to 1.9%

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Tower Hamlets by care, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Tower Hamlets

Tower Hamlets saw London's largest rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership.

In 2011, just under 6 in 10 (55.3%) people aged 16 and over in Tower Hamlets said they were single, compared with 47.8% in 2001. The percentage that said they were married decreased from 36.4% to 32.2%.

Across the region, Hackney saw the next largest increase in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership (from 50.5% in 2001 to 57.5% in 2011).

During this period, Tower Hamlets overtook seven local authority areas, including Southwark and Kensington and Chelsea, to become the London local authority area with the fifth-highest percentage of single people.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was higher than across London

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

More students

The percentage of Tower Hamlets residents that were studying increased from 3.4% to 5.5% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just under one in two (49.3%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 43.1% in 2001. While the percentage of Tower Hamlets residents that were unemployed increased from 6.6% to 6.8%.

The proportion of students increased here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 3.0% in 2001 to 4.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.6% to 3.5%.

The percentage of students in Tower Hamlets increased by 2.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Tower Hamlets, London and England that said they were in education, March 2001 and March 2011

Tower Hamlets stood out from other areas for children

The percentage of households without children increased in Tower Hamlets, while falling across London.

In Tower Hamlets, the proportion went up from 65.9% in 2001 to 67.7% in 2011. During the same period, the regional proportion fell from 62.4% to 59.8%.

The proportion of households with children in Tower Hamlets fell from 27.9% to 26.6%, while the proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents decreased from 6.3% to 5.7%.

The proportion of households without children was higher than across London

Percentage of households without children across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

Changing household dynamics

The percentage of households in Tower Hamlets, which comprised a single parent, increased from 10.5% to 10.6% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just over one in five (22.4%) households had a married couple, compared with 22.7% in 2001. The percentage of households in Tower Hamlets, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 8.5% to 9.5%.

The proportion of single-parent households increased at a slower rate here than the figure for the whole of London (from 11.1% in 2001 to 12.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.5% to 10.7%.

The percentage of households with a single-parent was lower than across London

Percentage of households that had a single parent across local authority areas in London and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Tower Hamlets

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Tower Hamlets was among those who said they had no religion, rising 5.0 points.

In 2011, 19.2% of respondents in Tower Hamlets gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 14.2% of those who answered in 2001.

Across London, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion that described themselves as having no religion increased from 15.8% to 20.7%, while across England the percentage went from 14.5% to 24.6%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Tower Hamlets, 34.5% said they were Muslim, compared with 36.4% in 2001. About 27.1% said they were Christian, compared with 38.6% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and said they were Sikh decreased from 0.4% to 0.3%.

In Tower Hamlets, 15.4% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 7.4% in 2001. In London, 8.5% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001. Across England, 7.2% of people did not answer, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

The population without a religion in Tower Hamlets increased by 5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, London and Tower Hamlets by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Tower Hamlets residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 10.3% to 6.0% between the last two censuses.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (83.3%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 67.9% in 2001. The percentage of Tower Hamlets residents that described their health as fair decreased from 21.8% to 10.7%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 8.3% in 2001 to 5.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Tower Hamlets decreased by 4.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Tower Hamlets, London and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Tower Hamlets

In 2011, 41.1% of Tower Hamlets residents said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, up from from 38.4% in 2001.

Across London, the percentage of people from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from 13.2% to 18.5%, while across England the percentage went from 5.2% to 8.0%.

Around 45.2% of people in Tower Hamlets said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, compared with 51.4% in 2001. About 7.3% said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, compared with 6.5% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from 2.5% to 4.1%.

The population from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups in Tower Hamlets increased by 2.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, London and Tower Hamlets by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

More people worked short hours

The percentage of employed people in Tower Hamlets working less than 16 hours increased from 2.2% to 3.8% in the decade to 2011.

The percentage who said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census remained close to 13.4%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of London (from 2.0% in 2001 to 3.3% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.9% to 3.1%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Tower Hamlets increased by 1.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Tower Hamlets, London and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

↑ Back to the top

Area report data

Related links